[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1605-S1607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS


                                 S. 684

  At the request of Mr. Hatfield, the name of the Senator from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] was added as a cosponsor of S. 684, a bill 
to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for programs of 
research regarding Parkinson's disease, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 949

  At the request of Mr. Graham, the name of the Senator from New Jersey 
[Mr. Lautenberg] was added as a cosponsor of S. 949, a bill to require 
the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 
200th anniversary of the death of George Washington.


                                S. 1072

  At the request of Mr. Thurmond, the name of the Senator from North 
Carolina [Mr. Helms] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1072, a bill to 
redefine ``extortion'' for purposes of the Hobbs Act.


                                S. 1217

  At the request of Mr. Coats, the name of the Senator from Tennessee 
[Mr. Frist] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1217, a bill to encourage 
the provision of medical services in medically underserved communities 
by extending Federal liability coverage to medical volunteers, and for 
other purposes.


                                S. 1268

  At the request of Mr. Thomas, the name of the Senator from 
Mississippi [Mr. Cochran] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1268, a bill 
to provide assistance for the establishment of community rural health 
networks in chronically underserved areas, to provide incentives for 
providers of health care services to furnish services in such areas, 
and for other purposes.


                                S. 1452

  At the request of Mr. Grams, the name of the Senator from North 
Carolina [Mr. Faircloth] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1452, a bill to 
establish procedures to provide for a taxpayer protection lock-box and 
related downward adjustment of discretionary spending limits and to 
provide for additional deficit reduction with funds resulting from the 
stimulative effect of revenue reductions.


                                S. 1483

  At the request of Mr. Kyl, the names of the Senator from Colorado 
[Mr. Brown], the Senator from New Hampshire [Mr. Smith], the Senator 
from New Hampshire [Mr. Gregg], and the Senator from Kentucky [Mr. 
McConnell] were added as cosponsors of S. 1483, a bill to control 
crime, and for other purposes.


                                S. 1491

  At the request of Mr. Grams, the names of the Senator from Indiana 
[Mr. Coats], the Senator from Michigan [Mr. Abraham], and the Senator 
from Kansas [Mrs. Kassebaum] were added as cosponsors of S. 1491, a 
bill to reform antimicrobial pesticide registration, and for other 
purposes.


                                S. 1524

  At the request of Mr. Lautenberg, the name of the Senator from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1524, a bill 
to amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit smoking on any 
scheduled airline flight segment in intrastate, interstate, or foreign 
air transportation.


                                S. 1554

  At the request of Mr. Cochran, the name of the Senator from North 
Carolina [Mr. Faircloth] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1554, a bill to 
amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to clarify the exemption for 
houseparents from the minimum wage and maximum hours requirements of 
that act, and for other purposes.


                                S. 1563

  At the request of Mr. Simpson, the name of the Senator from Kentucky 
[Mr. McConnell] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1563, a bill to amend 
title 38, United States Code, to revise and improve eligibility for 
medical care and services under that title, and for other purposes.


                                S. 1567

  At the request of Mr. Leahy, the name of the Senator from Vermont 
[Mr. Jeffords] was added as a cosponsor of S. 1567, a bill to amend the 
Communications Act of 1934 to repeal the amendments relating to obscene 
and harassing use of telecommunications facilities made by the 
Communications Decency Act of 1995.


                       Senate Joint Resolution 50

  At the request of Mr. D'Amato, the names of the Senator from North 
Carolina [Mr. Helms], the Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell], and 
the Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Pressler] were added as cosponsors 
of Senate Joint Resolution 50, a joint resolution to disapprove the 
certification of the President under section 490(b) of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961 regarding foreign assistance for Mexico during 
fiscal year 1996.


                         Senate Resolution 226

  At the request of Mr. Nunn, the names of the Senator from North 
Carolina [Mr. Helms] and the Senator from Idaho [Mr. Craig] were added 
as cosponsors of Senate Resolution 226, a resolution to proclaim the 
week of October 13 through October 19, 1996, as ``National Character 
Counts Week.''
  At the request of Mr. Domenici, the names of the Senator from Alaska 
[Mr. Stevens] and the Senator from West Virginia [Mr. Rockefeller] were 
added as cosponsors of Senate Resolution 226, supra.

[[Page S1606]]



 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 43--RELATIVE TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF 
                                 CHINA

  Mr. THOMAS (for himself, Mr. Helms, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. Simon, and Mr. 
Mack) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 43

       Whereas the People's Republic of China, in a clear attempt 
     to intimidate the people and Government of Taiwan, has over 
     the past 8 months conducted a series of military exercises, 
     including missile tests, within alarmingly close proximity to 
     Taiwan;
       Whereas on March 5, 1996, the Xinhua News Agency announced 
     that the People's Republic of China will conduct missile 
     tests from March 8 through March 15, 1996, within 25 to 35 
     miles of the 2 principal northern and southern ports of 
     Taiwan, Kaohsiung and Keelung;
       Whereas the proximity of these tests to the ports and the 
     accompanying warnings for ships and aircraft to avoid the 
     test areas will result in the effective blockading of the 
     ports, and the probable disruption of international shipping, 
     for the duration of the tests;
       Whereas these tests are a clear escalation of the attempts 
     by the People's Republic of China to intimidate Taiwan and 
     influence the outcome of the upcoming democratic presidential 
     election in Taiwan;
       Whereas the decision of the United States to establish 
     diplomatic relations with the Peoples' Republic of China 
     rested upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan would 
     be settled solely by peaceful means;
       Whereas the strong interest of the United States in the 
     peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question is one of the 
     central premises of the three United States-China Joint 
     Communiques and was codified in the Taiwan Relations Act;
       Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that peace and 
     stability in the western Pacific ``are in the political, 
     security, and economic interests of the United States, and 
     are matters of international concern'';
       Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that the United 
     States considers ``any effort to determine the future of 
     Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including by boycotts, 
     or embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of the 
     western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United 
     States'';
       Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act directs the President to 
     ``inform Congress promptly of any threat to the security or 
     the social or economic system of the people on Taiwan and any 
     danger to the interests of the United States arising 
     therefrom'';
       Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act further directs that ``the 
     President and the Congress shall determine, in accordance 
     with constitutional process, appropriate action by the United 
     States in response to any such danger'';
       Whereas the United States, the People's Republic of China, 
     and the Government of Taiwan have each previously expressed 
     their commitment to the resolution of the Taiwan question 
     through peaceful means; and
       Whereas these missile tests and accompanying statements 
     made by the Government of the People's Republic of China call 
     into serious question the commitment of China to the peaceful 
     resolution of the Taiwan question: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the United States deplores the missile tests that the 
     People's Republic of China will conduct from March 8 through 
     March 15, 1996, and views them as a threat to the peace, 
     security, and stability of Taiwan and not in the spirit of 
     the three United States Joint Communiques;
       (2) the Government of the People's Republic of China should 
     cease it bellicose actions directed at Taiwan and instead 
     enter into meaningful dialogue with the Government of Taiwan 
     at the highest levels, such as through the Straits Exchange 
     Foundation in Taiwan and the Association for Relations Across 
     the Taiwan Straits in Beijing, with an eye towards decreasing 
     tensions and resolving the issue of the future of Taiwan;
       (3) the President, consistent with section 3(c) of the 
     Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3302(c)), should immediately 
     consult with Congress on an appropriate United States 
     response to the tests; and
       (4) the President should, consistent with the Taiwan 
     Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), reexamine the nature 
     and quantity of defense articles and services that may be 
     necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-
     defense capability in light of the heightened threat.

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I rise today as the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs to submit Senate 
Concurrent Resolution 43, expressing the sense of the Congress 
regarding proposed missile tests in the Taiwan Straits.
  Yesterday, the People's Republic of China announced that it would 
conduct a series of missile tests from March 8 through March 15, 1996, 
off the coast of Taiwan. While the Chinese have conducted other tests 
within close proximity to Taiwan in the past 8 months, these are 
especially provocative. The People's Republic of China has announced 
that it will conduct these tests within between 25 and 35 miles of the 
Taiwan port cities of Kaohsiung and Keelung. The effect will be that, 
for a week, a wide corridor of ocean both immediately north and south 
of Taiwan will be unsafe for commercial traffic. Thus, the People's 
Republic of China has knowingly created what is in effect a blockade of 
these two ports--through which flows more than 70 percent of Taiwan's 
ship-borne trade--for the duration of the tests. In addition, the tests 
come just a week before Taiwan's first fully democratic Presidential 
elections on March 23. Clearly, the tests are part of the People's 
Republic of China's ongoing attempts to intimidate Taiwan and influence 
the upcoming elections.
  It is both the proximity to Taiwan and the timing that make these 
tests especially troubling to me, and the signal they send.
  When we normalized relations with the People's Republic of China in 
1978 and 1979, we did so on the expectation that the future of Taiwan 
would be settled solely by peaceful means. That expectation underlies 
the three United States-People's Republic of China joint communiques, 
and is codified in the Taiwan Relations Act, the statute that governs 
our relationship with Taiwan.

  However, these tests and accompanying statements made at the highest 
levels of the Chinese Government in my mind call into serious question 
the People's Republic of China's commitment to settle the Taiwan issue 
by peaceful means. As such, they are of grave concern to me and, I 
believe, to the United States.
  I hope that the People's Republic of China would move to diffuse the 
escalating problems in the straits and refrain from further 
provocations. At the same time, I hope that the Taiwan Government would 
do its part to reduce tensions. Both sides need to sit down with each 
other, and discuss the issue in a considered and rational manner, 
without threats and without the need to continually draw the United 
States into what is a matter solely for the Chinese on both sides of 
the straits--and Mr. President, I emphasize both sides--to decide. It 
is not an issue for the People's Republic of China to decide 
unilaterally at the barrel of a gun.
  Mr. President, the resolution is fairly self explanatory.
  Mr. President, in closing, let me note that I am pleased to be joined 
by Senator Helms, the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Relations 
Committee, Senators Murkowski and Simon, two longstanding leaders on 
the issue of Taiwan in the Senate, and Senator Mack, in submitting this 
legislation today; I thank them for their support. I hope the rest of 
our colleagues will join us so that we can move this resolution quickly 
through the Senate and on the House.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Craig 
Thomas, chairman of the East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee of the 
Foreign Relations Committee in offering this resolution that reaffirms 
the Taiwan Relations Act and condemns the People's Republic of China 
for their attempts to influence the upcoming Presidential election in 
Taiwan through threats and coercion.
  The resolution has been submitted to the Chair previously by Senator 
Thomas. This resolution makes four important points.
  First, the United States deplores the missile test scheduled for 
March 8 to 15. It appears that these tests will impose a virtual 
blockade of Taiwan's two major ports and threaten international 
shipping lanes in the Taiwan Straits.
  Second, the Congress calls on the People's Republic of China to cease 
its threats, and instead enter into a constructive dialog with the 
Republic of China, perhaps through their respective informal 
organizations: the Straits Exchange Foundation in Taiwan and the 
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits in Beijing.
  Third, the resolution directs the President of the United States to 
consult with the Congress, as required by the Taiwan Relations Act, 
because there is a threat to the security and the social and economic 
system of the people of Taiwan.
  Fourth, the President and the Congress should reexamine the nature 
and quantity of the defense articles and

[[Page S1607]]

services that may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a 
sufficient self-defense capability in light of the heightened threat.
  Mr. President, I suggest that President Nixon must be simply spinning 
in his grave tonight. When Richard Nixon first opened relations with 
Beijing some 20 years ago he believed that Asia could not progress if 
China remained isolated. His actions promised to help that country 
enter into a new and constructive relationship with the rest of the 
modern world. But in recent months, the leaders of Beijing have taken a 
number of self-defeating actions that can only turn back the pages of 
history and cripple China's economic progress.
  Over the past 8 months, the People's Republic of China has conducted 
a series of military exercises, including missile tests, in close 
proximity to Taiwan. Now, we hear reports of the largest and closest 
military exercise to take place next week, just 1 week before the first 
democratic Presidential elections on Taiwan. What is more, Beijing has 
reportedly included veiled threats against the United States for 
supporting the process of free elections. One news report indicated 
that during an interview, a Chinese leader scoffed at the notion that 
the United States would defend Taiwan by saying the United States cares 
more about ``Los Angeles than Taiwan.'' China, of course, produces 
missiles capable of launching nuclear warheads against both Taiwan and 
Los Angeles, and certainly against my home State of Alaska.
  I feel confident that these reports, of course, are false, but 
China's most recent announcement that it intends to conduct massive 
tests near Taiwan, in effect imposing a miniblockade of Taiwan's two 
major ports prior to the Taiwan Presidential elections, does little to 
inspire confidence.
  Some China watchers are inclined to rationalize Beijing's behavior. 
Apologists have blamed China's belligerence on the firm stand taken by 
this Congress. Today it is clear that China, not the Congress, is to 
blame for the current state of United States-China relations. Time and 
time again, before and after the 1989 Tiananmen Square attack on 
student protesters, China's rulers have shown themselves to be almost 
oblivious to the fact that a larger world--a world sensitive to human 
rights concerns, one that believes in religious and political freedom, 
and free and fair trade--exists beyond the People's Republic of China's 
borders.
  People's Republic of China's President Jiang Zemin and his 
lieutenants must understand that this is why the United States finds 
China's ballistic missile diplomacy unacceptable. We support the 
peaceful settlement of differences between China and Taiwan and cannot 
idly watch a peaceful, democratic ally--which Taiwan is--be threatened.
  Therefore, it is time for Congress, as set forth in this Senate 
resolution, to recommit the United States to the Taiwan Relations Act 
of 1979, which clearly states that America believes that peace and 
stability in the area are in the political, security and economic 
interests of the United States.
  Further, the law of the land, the Taiwan Relations Act, commits the 
United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion 
that would jeopardize the security or the social or economic system of 
the people of Taiwan.
  We must remind Beijing that the decision of the United States to 
establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 
1979 was based upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be 
determined by peaceful means.
  We also must continue selling Taiwan defensive weapons to help 
counter any thoughts China may have of using military force against the 
island. Along with these weapons, we must let the leaders in Beijing 
know that threats are useless as tools of foreign policy and are the 
rusted relics of diplomacy from a bygone and dangerous era.
  China's leaders must know economic gains will evaporate if continued 
military threats--or worse--create havoc in East Asia. Beijing's 
officials must understand they cannot conduct business as usual with 
the world if missiles start falling in the Straits of Taiwan. They also 
need to know that the fear of war is often every bit as chilling to 
investment as the real thing.
  Mr. President, I also want to add that Congress should congratulate 
the people of Taiwan for their continued advancement toward democracy. 
Congress should also state our support for the people of Taiwan to 
become involved in international organizations. Taiwan has emerged as a 
force for democracy and stability in Asia, and its people should be 
represented. The United States must also continue at the same time to 
encourage a true dialog between Beijing and Taipei that will lead to 
understanding and conciliation, rather than threats and confrontation.
  With this latest round of threats against Taiwan--and the United 
States--it simply is time to step back and gather forces to support 
reason and dialog rather than the rumblings of hostility and war.
  President Nixon was certainly correct in seeing the vast potential 
importance of China as a world economic power. But 25 years later the 
world still waits for Beijing to abandon its totalitarian ways and 
behave consistently as a civilized nation.

                          ____________________